Terms and Conditions of Service

Please read the Terms and Conditions of International Volunteer HQ Limited (IVHQ) carefully before submitting your online application. By submitting your application, you certify that you agree to the following IVHQ Terms and Conditions:

Travel

The volunteer is solely responsible for arranging and paying for their own travel, specifically including all airfares or other transport costs to and from the host country, as well as any local transport costs. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to carry all necessary documents when travelling abroad. While IVHQ may advise the volunteer on required travel documentation, IVHQ is not responsible for any supporting documents necessary for the volunteer’s travel needs or other purposes. Volunteers are responsible for ensuring their travel documents are up to date and valid for travel.

Insurance

IVHQ does not provide the volunteer with insurance of any kind. Travel insurance is mandatory for each volunteer, and the volunteer will purchase this prior to departing on the trip. The volunteer is solely responsible for evaluating and determining the type, extent and levels of any insurance coverage they need or desire for their planned volunteer travel period. This must cover their entire travel period.

Refund Policy

IVHQ’s registration and program fees are designed to be very affordable, especially when compared to companies who provide comparable volunteer travel services. As a consequence, IVHQ is unable to provide and does not provide a total refund policy.

Registration Fees

Payment of registration fees confirms a volunteer’s acceptance onto one of IVHQ’s volunteer programs. Registration fees are not transferable to other persons and further details are set out on our website.

The registration fee is refundable until sixty days before the start date of the volunteer’s chosen program (based on New Zealand time). All registration fee refunds are issued via PayPal and are subject to a US$150 cancellation fee, incurred as a result of administrative and processing costs. Requests for registration fee refunds must be made via an email to your IVHQ Program Manager, clearly detailing the reasons for cancellation.

Cancellations are subject to the following policies:

The circumstances regarding eligibility for a refund and the associated notice period are based on the earliest start date the volunteer has ever been registered for.

If a volunteer cancels sixty days or more before their earliest program start date, they can request a refund of the registration fee, which will be provided less a $US150 cancellation fee. Alternatively, they may ask for a registration fee credit to be held in their name for future use on any IVHQ program, subject to availability, for a period of twelve months from their earliest registered start date. This credit may be issued less the value of any change fees the volunteer has incurred.

If a volunteer cancels between fifty-nine and thirty days before their program’s start date, no refund of registration fees is available. A registration fee credit, less any change fees the volunteer has incurred, may be held in their name for a period of twelve months from their earliest registered start date, for future use on another IVHQ program, subject to program availability and at the discretion of the IVHQ Program Manager.

If a volunteer cancels less than thirty days before their program’s start date, no refund of registration fees is available. A registration fee credit may be held in their name for twelve months from their earliest registered start date, subject to availability, provided program fees have been paid in full by their due date. If program fees have not been paid, the volunteer can request for their registration fee to be held in credit for twelve months by paying a late cancellation fee of $US150.

Volunteers who apply and cancel within the timeframes mentioned above are held to the same conditions in relation to their eligibility for a refund.

Once a volunteer’s refund request has been received by IVHQ, they will be notified via email. If no notification is received within three working days, the assumption should be made that the request has not been received and the volunteer is advised to contact his or her IVHQ Program Manager again.

If a volunteer registers and requests a verification letter, they cannot then receive a refund for their registration fee should they withdraw from the program.

Where a group of ten or more people is volunteering with IVHQ, the group leader must register ahead of other group members in order to secure the group’s dates and plans. Group members must then apply and register no less than sixty days before the program starts. Group members who register less than sixty days before the program start date may be excluded from the program, unless approved by IVHQ.

IVHQ reserves the right to revise the registration fee at any time. All registration fee revisions will be made via the IVHQ website. Registration fee revisions are not applicable to volunteers who have already submitted their registration fee payment before the revisions are due to take effect. A volunteer’s placement on a program is not confirmed until registration fee has been paid in full and availability has been checked by their IVHQ Program Manager.

Details of the program fees are set out on the IVHQ website and any fee revisions will be made public via that platform. Program fee revisions are not applicable to volunteers who have already paid their registration fee, unless the volunteer alters their program details after the program fee revisions have taken effect.

Program fees are non-refundable. Any exceptions to this are considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of IVHQ prior to the volunteer’s start date, or at the discretion of the local team once the volunteer’s program has started. All requests for program fee refunds and partial program fee refunds agreed by IVHQ or the local team are issued via PayPal and are subject to a cancellation fee of up to US$150, to cover administrative and transaction costs.

Volunteers who cancel from their program and then reinstate their program at another time are subject to program fee differences and any revisions or variations to the program costs that have occurred at the time they wish to reinstate. Program fee credits expire twenty four months after being issued, or at IVHQ’s discretion.

Program fees are due no later than thirty days prior to the beginning of the volunteer’s program placement. Failure to make this payment can result in a loss of volunteer placement with no refund of registration fee. All program fee payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges. Payments by wire transfer attract a minimum transaction fee of US$75.

Where a group of ten or more people is volunteering with IVHQ, program fees and fees for additional services for each group member must be paid no later than thirty days before the program starts. Where a group has requested additional services such as tours as part of their itinerary, all cancellations and refunds are subject to the terms defined by the providers of these additional services.

Change of Dates and Duration

Once registered and before they begin their trip, the volunteer is entitled to change their start date and duration once at no additional cost. Any additional changes to their start date, destination or duration after the initial free change requires payment of an administration fee of US$50 for each change. Program changes within fourteen days of the volunteer’s start date will incur a late change fee of US$150. If a volunteer wishes to change their start date, the registration fee is only valid for new start dates within twelve months of the earliest start date they have been registered for.

IVHQ Rewards

IVHQ offers a US$30 referral reward for volunteers who refer a friend or family member to volunteer with IVHQ through the IVHQ Ambassador Program, or as an IVHQ Affiliate. Referred or returning volunteers, and volunteers registering on multiple IVHQ programs are eligible for a 10% discount on their registration fees. Terms and Conditions apply to all IVHQ Rewards.

Personal Risks

The volunteer acknowledges and accepts the responsibilities and risks associated with their choice to travel to, temporarily reside in, and provide volunteer services in a foreign country. Such travel and volunteer work can be hazardous and involves a certain degree of risk, inherently dangerous activities and personal perils to the volunteer, both foreseen and unforeseen, all of which are fully accepted by and solely assumed by the volunteer. Therefore, IVHQ, including any and all of its employees, managers, directors, shareholders, host families and independent local teams, is not liable, to the maximum extent of the law, for any loss or harm the volunteer or associates may suffer, including but not limited to loss caused directly or indirectly by:

Personal injury;

Emotional injury;

Death;

Illness or disease;

Damage to or loss of property;

Natural disasters;

Hostage situations; or

War or terrorism.

Indemnity

The volunteer agrees to indemnify and hold harmless IVHQ and the independent local team from any and all liability arising directly or indirectly out of, or in connection with, the volunteer’s travel, temporary residence in their chosen destination, and the undertaking of volunteering or tourism activities.

Drug and Alcohol Use

The volunteer must abide by the rules put in place by the independent local team, volunteer placement institution, and the host family in regards to alcohol consumption. Drug use (unless prescribed by a doctor) is strictly prohibited and will result in instant dismissal from the program with no refund.

Child Protection Policy

The volunteer has read the complete IVHQ Child Protection Policy. They fully understand and agree to follow all procedures contained within it. If at any time the volunteer fails to follow the guidelines set forth by the IVHQ Child Protection Policy, they understand that their volunteer program may be terminated by IVHQ or the independent local team and further appropriate action will be taken.

Privacy Policy

IVHQ and the volunteer agree to the conditions laid out in the Privacy Policy.

Miscellaneous

The volunteer agrees to comply with the independent local team’s code of conduct and waiver. IVHQ and the independent local team reserves the right to dismiss a volunteer from the program at any time without refund, in the event that these Terms and Conditions, or the local team’s code of conduct are breached.

IVHQ reserves the right to notify the emergency contact appointed by the volunteer in the event that the volunteer is dismissed from the program and in other circumstances deemed appropriate by IVHQ. IVHQ reserves the right to use feedback and images provided or shared by volunteers for marketing and promotion purposes.

IVHQ provides a service connecting volunteers to the independent local team. You agree that IVHQ is not liable for any actions or omissions of the independent local team.

To the full extent permissible at law, all representations, terms, warranties, guarantees, or conditions whether implied by statute, common law or custom of the trade or otherwise, including, but not limited to, implied warranties and guarantees, are excluded.

Notwithstanding anything else contained in any agreement, the liability of IVHQ to the volunteer shall not in aggregate exceed the amount of the registration fee paid by the volunteer.

This website is presented solely for the purpose of promoting IVHQ services and those of the independent local teams. This site is controlled and operated by IVHQ from its offices in New Zealand. IVHQ makes no representation that materials in the site are appropriate or available for use in other locations.

Those who choose to access this site from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible to the extent local law is applicable.

IVHQ does not warrant or make any representations regarding the correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise of the materials in this site or the result of their use.

IVHQ reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions or the services it offers from time to time.

IVHQ reserves the right to refuse acceptance to any application.

The volunteer certifies that all information provided to IVHQ relating to their personal background, qualifications, experience, medical history, and current state of health is accurate and truthful, and that no information relating to the aforementioned areas is withheld. IVHQ and the independent local team reserve the right to remove a volunteer from their program, without refund or compensation, if it becomes apparent that untruthful or inaccurate information is submitted in their application form or provided through communications with IVHQ staff, or if relevant information is withheld, or for any other reason by giving notice to the volunteer.

All dates and times referred to in these Terms and Conditions are based on New Zealand Standard Time.

Force Majeure

IVHQ has no liability for any lack of performance, unavailability or failure of the services or its website, or for any failure of IVHQ to comply with these Terms and Conditions, where the same arises from any cause reasonably beyond the control of IVHQ.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions and the service provided pursuant to these Terms and conditions will be governed by the laws of New Zealand and the parties submit to the non - exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand Courts.